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Jeter reaches base three times in rehab game

Jeter reaches base three times in rehab game

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Derek Jeter reached base three times and recorded his first hit for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday.

By Andrew Kappes
/
Special to MLB.com |

MOOSIC, Pa. -- Derek Jeter recorded his first base hit in a rehab game for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Sunday. The Yankees' captain reached base three times and scored a run, while getting a day off from the field.

Jeter batted from the leadoff spot for the RailRiders, and was the designated hitter after playing in Saturday night's contest at shortstop. Much like his first rehab game, Jeter worked a walk to start the bottom of the first, giving him an opportunity to run the bases early. After the game, Jeter expressed no worry over his ankle while on the basepaths.

"I'm not concerned with that," Jeter told reporters at his postgame news conference. "I've done a lot of that down in Florida. It's good to get back into a game, but I don't have a checklist."

His base hit came in the third inning with a man aboard at first base. Jeter saw an elevated 86-mph fastball, and sent it through the left side, just past the glove of shortstop Freddy Galvis. His lack of concern over baserunning was matched by his modest reaction to the single.

"It's good [to get a hit], better to get a hit than get an out," said Jeter who downplayed his first rehab hit. "As long as I'm seeing the ball good, I'm fine. The results at this particular point I don't think is the No. 1 priority."

Jeter would score on a home run by Randy Ruiz later in the inning, and later joked how he scored easily from first on the play.

While he struck out in his third at-bat in the fourth inning, Jeter worked another walk in the seventh in his final plate appearance. He saw five pitches, including the 94-mph fastball that sailed low from Lehigh Valley reliever Mike MacDougal.

"[MacDougal's stuff is] nasty, so I don't know if it's a good thing to face him," said Jeter. "He throws hard. I faced him in Kansas City. You like to see guys that throw harder, but you're going to see all types of pitchers."

Jeter will not see an off-day, as he will be back in the field at shortstop on Monday night for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. With only one play at short on Saturday night, Jeter hopes to get more chances.

With every rehab game, Jeter's return to the Bronx nears. When asked if he had any input on his schedule, Jeter was clear about who will make the final decision.

"[The Yankees] ask me," said Jeter. "Ultimately, I think it's up to me. They're going to have input, but I have to tell them how I feel. If I feel good, then I'll be back. But I understand I have to play some games, so it's not like I'm fighting them on coming here to play."

Andrew Kappes is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.